A story

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Rev Stephen Cottrell, continues his York Course series for Lent entitled Rich Inheritance… Jesus’ Legacy Of Love

I FIRST encountered the real impact of the Christian story when I saw the television film Jesus Of Nazareth as a teenager. I can still remember the power of the story – especially the Crucifixion. For the first time its meaning and relevance burnt its way into my heart and I found myself weeping uncontrollably. Embarrassed by this show of emotion, I ran from the room and threw myself onto my bed. After a while my mother came to see what the matter was. She comforted me, but told me – nicely – to pull myself together. But I couldn’t. Not then, or now.

The power of this story changes lives. The Christian faith is first and foremost the Christian story.

When Jesus sent out the first Christians to conquer the world with his message of love, they did marvellous things in the power of God’s Spirit – but most of all, they told a story. They told people what God had done in Jesus, and explained the difference this had made in their own lives. They declared that it could make a difference for the whole world.

On the Day of Pentecost Peter preaches his very first sermon. He simply tells the crowds about the things he has seen and experienced. He tells them that they have crucified the One sent by God, but who God has vindicated by raising him to new life. He tells them of the impact of Jesus on his own life. Later, when expressly forbidden from teaching in the name of Jesus, Peter responds: ‘We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20 New Revised Standard Version).

A CITY OF TWO TALES
Peter is telling two stories – about Jesus and about his own personal experience. Essentially, we are called to do the same thing.

People need to know about Jesus. It is a tragedy that many young people are growing up without knowing even the basic facts about his life and ministry.

Paradoxically, it is often the telling of our own story that is the best way into telling the story of Jesus. We live in challenging times. Many are cynical about anyone who offers optimism and hope. Many still cling to a so-called rational and scientific world view that they fancifully imagine has somehow ‘disproved God’. Consequently, the whimsical speculations of Dan Brown and intemperate put-downs of Richard Dawkins seem to get a better airing than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What people will listen to is the testimony of others. This is something that cannot be gainsaid or disproved. You may think that science has disproved God, or that the New Testament is unreliable, but you cannot dismiss the heartfelt experience and living testimony of a friend who simply tells you what faith means for them. This is how the gospel spread in the first place – and we can read about it in that actually very reliable book called the Bible!

And this is how faith spreads today – once we begin to get the story out. First of all, our story of who God is for us, then the central story – that of Jesus himself.

A STORY, NOT A STATEMENT
The Christian faith was a set of stories before it was a set of statements. What God offers and desires is relationship. That is why in Jesus he sends us a man, not a manifesto.

A BEAUTIFUL TRUTH
The truth about God is multifaceted, like a beautiful jewel. Most of us will only ever see or appreciate a small part of it. Like every relationship, there will always be more to learn. But this also means that our story – our small glimpse of the multifaceted truth – is precious and important. We will see and experience something of the beauty and majesty of God that others are not seeing, and not experiencing. Therefore, it is all the more important that we learn how to share it.

JESUS THE STORYTELLER
Jesus often taught through a story. He knew this was the best way to communicate the sorts of truths you had to learn, inhabit and embody for yourself. The Bible is in actual fact a library – a collection of books, which are themselves collections of stories. Inspired by the Spirit of God, they don’t provide easy answers but are a gateway into our relationship with God.